There are some major changes coming to World of Warcraft from the latest PTR patch. There's some really exciting stuff, including a new holiday and auras that will allow you to cosmetically alter your character to varying degrees. Both Perculia and I have been hard at work on the PTR getting screenshots of these changes and uncovering the latest details.

Oh, and one more thing: APRIL FOOL'S!!

If you're seeing broken item links, we've unfortunately had to remove these fake items for real datapushes. Click on the images below to view what the original article looked like:

Blood in the Snow Scenario Introduction

If you ever thought that Scenarios felt a bit abrupt and wanted more of a lore buildup--hey, here's a quest to help Vol'jin--you're in luck in Patch 5.3. Our friends at WoW Insider mentioned that there was a special scene leading into one of the new 5.3 scenarios, Blood in the Snow, so we hopped on the PTR to check out what goes on!

You're first sent a mail by Lorewalker Cho asking you to head to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. Once there, he shares with you what he just discovered about the Alliance and gives you The King and the Council. Varian is facing some unforeseen difficulties in making a deal with the dwarves.

We're curious to see if these lead-in quests and Lorewalker scenes will be added for additional scenarios in the future--it was pretty effective here.

Transcript and screenshots of the quest below:Once upon a time - moments ago, in fact - a great King sought the help from a trio of powerful dwarves: The Council of Three Hammers.The King's scouts had discovered that Zandalari tro

Reduced Heirloom Costs

Heirloom costs have been reduced for items added in 5.2--what makes them special is that they can be used from 1-85. They are now 40% of their previous Justice or Honor Point cost, but still require turning in their older heirloom to purchase:

The 5.3 PTR patch notes are already here and a lot of interesting changes are coming.

Some of the highlights include:

4 New Scenarios, and a brand new heroic difficulty for Scenarios

A new Battleground - Gold Rush located in Valley of the Four Winds.

Loot Specialization - you can now pick which spec you receive loot for (helpful for gearing offsets!)

Bonus Rolls now have a proection from bad luck streaks, each roll gets a progressively higher chance at loot.

World of Warcraft PTR Patch 5.3

General

Please note: During the 5.3 PTR, not all the content listed may not be available for testing or may only be available during a limited testing window. Keep an eye on our PTR Discussion forum for details.New Battleground: Gold RushIn the new Battleground situated in the Valley of the Four Winds, the Alliance and Horde continue their war for Pandaria’s precious resources. While the two factions battle for control over mines, they must also protect their own resources from being stolen and turned against them![/

The final phase for Throne of Thunder testing is now open on the PTR! Players can access the final single-player scenario involving the Alliance, Horde, and Shado-Pan, as well as unlocking the new world boss Nalak, who drops the rare mount Reins of the Thundering Cobalt Cloud Serpent. We've got loot tables and dungeon journals for the 5.2 world bosses below.

Your faction has broken into the courtyard of the Throne of Thunder, and initially focuses on breaking down the door guarding Shan-Bu, while secretly itching to wage war on the other nearby faction. After defeating several Mogu guards, you leave your faction behind and help members of the Shado-Pan defeat Shan Bu, who is flanked by Nalak.